Facebook commissioned teens to mine device data, says report

The social media giant Facebook is ending a scheme that gathered highly personal data from paid volunteers, after it was exposed online.

According to TechCrunch, the participants – including those aged 13-17 – had been paid up to $20 (£15.30) a month to open up their phones to deep analysis.

Tim Cook-led Apple has said Facebook misused its privileges to distribute the app involved.

The iPhone-maker has now restricted Facebook’s ability to issue iOS apps that are not listed on its App Store.

This will disrupt the social network’s ability to distribute test versions of its software among staff and for the employees to run apps designed for their exclusive use, which are used to do things such as book transportation.

Tim Cook of Apple/ Photo via Wikipedia

This could add to tensions between the two companies.

A spokeswoman for the social network was unable to say whether it ran the programme in the UK or other countries outside the US.

TechCrunch reported that Facebook used social media ads to target teenagers for the scheme.

However, Facebook denies this allegations and claims.

On Wednesday, it was also revealed that Google maintained an app that paid some users to monitor their usage habits. Google says it has now disabled the app.

The app had the potential to provide Facebook with “nearly limitless access” to a user’s device including:

the contents of private messages in chat apps including photos and videos

emails

web browsing activity

logs of what apps were installed, and when they were used

a location history of where the owner had physically been

data usage

In addition, TechCrunch reported that users were asked to provide screenshots of their Amazon orders.

As of posting, it is unclear if what is the truth behind those claims on the two company and it is necessary that a third party or even a government agency to execute inquiry and investigation om the matter.

Because it puts the personal data of users in threat and it could be used in criminal offenses and activities.